Ventilator



Jan. 9, 1968 1 H. PAPST 3,362,627

Q VENTILATOR Original Filed April 27, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lm emon' Herman/r Papsf V J5... 9, I968 H. PAPST 3,362,627

' VENTILATOR I Original Filed April 27, 1965 5 sheets-sheet 2 Inventor:

Herman/I Papsz Jan. 9, 1968 H. mm 3,362,627

v VENTILATOR Original Fild April 27, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I m 1: 1) Fig 5 g- QIIIIIIIIIII... I

Herman/r Paps! United States Patent 14 Claims. cl. 230-117 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fan assembly for a ventilator, and a ventilator housing comprising a first portion formed with a first passage of circular cross-section and wherein the fan assembly is at least partially received, and at least one second portion rigid with the first portion and formed with a second passage axially aligned and directly communicating with said first passage, said second passage having an open end spaced from the first passage and having throughout its length and at the open end thereof a cross-sectional area greater than the cross-sectional area of the circular first passage and a transverse dimension greater than the diameter of the circular first passage.

This application is a continuation of my application Ser. No. 451,143, entitled Ventilator, filed on Apr. 27, 1965, now abandoned, which in turn was a continuationin-part of my prior application Ser. No. 336,975, also entitled, Ventilator, and filed on Jan. 10, 1964, now Patent No. 3,229,897.

The present invention relates to ventilators. More specifically, it relates to ventilators such as are used for cooling various types of electric apparatus.

Ventilators of the type referred to are of course known in numerous different constructions. However, such ventilators have generally suffered from various drawbacks, such as complicated construction and the attendant difliculty of assembly leading to high cost; difliculty of adapta tion to different types of electric apparatus; noisiness in operation; and others. To overcome these problems I have provided in my above-mentioned prior application a ventilator comprising a housing with radial spokes which may, or may not be shaped as guide vanes, and a central portion carried by these spokes to which there is secured a tubular member by an easily detachable connection, the tubular member carrying on its inside axially spaced bearing means whereas stator means are fixed to the outer surface of the tubular member and project radially therefrom, a shaft turnably mounted in the bearing means and projecting with one end thereof beyond the other end of the tubular member, and rotor means surrounding the stator means and provided with a transverse portion fixed to the one end of the shaft for rotation therewith and with a plurality of fan blades substantially radially projectingfrom the outer peripheral surface-of the rotor means.

This construction is not only uncomplicated and therefore inexpensive to produce and to assemble, but it can also be readily adapted to various types of electric apparatus and it eliminates almost completely the high noise level which has heretofore been found so objectionable in ventilators of this type.

However, I have found that even this construction does not yet achieve maximum efliciency of operation, although it undoubtedly constitutes an advance in the ventilator art. My deliberations have shown that it would be desirable to increase the ease with which air is drawn into the improved ventilator and with which it is ejected therefrom since this would result not only in an improved flow of air onto the object to be cooled, but would also contribute to a further reduction of noise. This is so because the circular air inlet of the housing described in connection with my original application limits the intake of air in any but axial direction of the ventilator, whereas the circular outlet again permits ejection of the air only in axial direction and does not take into account the radial component of movement given to the air by the fan blades, this component of movement contributing in my original construction to undesirable turbulence of the air and attendant friction prior to exit of the air from the ventilator housing.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a ventilator in which the intake of air is not limited to axial flow exclusively.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a ventilator of the type described in which the outflow of air is greatly enhanced by reducing the friction of the air within the outlet of the housing, and by enabling freer flow of air which is given a radial component of movement by the fan blades.

Additional objects of the present invention are of course the provision of a low-cost ventilator which is easy to manufacture and quick to assemble, a ventilator which has a low noise factor, and a ventilator which is relatively simple in its structure and reliable in its operation.

In accordance with the present invention, these objects have been attained by providing in a ventilator the combination of a fan assembly comprising a tubular member having a flange at one end adapted to be removably connected to a housing; axially spaced bearing means supported in said tubular member; stator means fixed to the outer surface of said tubular member and projecting radially therefrom; a shaft turnably mounted in said bearing means and projecting with said one end thereof beyond the other end of said tubular member; rotor means surrounding said stator means, said rotor means having a transverse portion fixed to said one end of the shaft for rotation therewith and a plurality of fan blades substantially radially projecting from the outer peripheral surface of said rotor means; and a housing surrounding said fan assembly and removably connected to said flange of said tubular member, said housing having a first portion formed with a passage of circular cross section, and at least one second portion integral with said first portion and being formed with a passage axially aligned with said passage thereof, said passage of the second portion being flared in a direction away from said first portion and having on that side of the second portion which is remote from said first portion a substantially square cross-section whereby air caused to pass through said ventilator by said fan blades can flow more freely in the passage of said second portion than in the passage of said first portion and eificiency of said ventilator is increased.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the inventive ventilator, taken on the line II of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a partial front view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view substantially similar to that of FIG. 1

i showing a modified embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial view, partly in section, of another modified embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevational view, taken on the line VV of FIG. 4, of the housing of my ventilator;

FIG. 6 is a sectioned partial view taken on the line VIVI of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a sectioned partial view taken on the line VII-VII of the embodiment of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a sectioned partial view taken on the line VIIIVIII of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 9 is a sectioned partial view taken on the line IXIX of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, whereas FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of the housing according to the present invention.

Referring now firstly to FIG. 1, the housing 1 shown there comprises a first portion 1:: having a circular inner cross section, and a pair of second portions 1b integral with the portion In on the respective opposed sides thereof. It will be understood of course that the invention also encompasses construction in which only one portion 1b is provided on one or the other side of portion 1a. The portions 1b flare in a direction away from the first portion 1a and have at their sides remote from the portion 1a a square inner cross section as is best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, for example. The housing 1 is provided with supporting spokes 2 for the flange 3 of a tubular member 6, which latter extends axially through the housing. The flange 3 is secured to the spokes 2, or to a center portion carried by them. A pair of radial spaced-apart bearings '7 are disposed within the tubular member 6 and rotatably support a shaft 8. A stator 4, protected by an insulating cover 5, is mounted on the tubular member 6 which supports it. Stator 4 is surrounded by the cup-shaped rotor 11 which carries attached to it the fan blades 12. A hub 9 is rigidly secured to the shaft 3 and to the rotor 11 so that the shaft 8 rotates in unison with the rotor 11 and the fan blades 12. The rotor 11 and the stator 4- are separately assembled by placing the bearing rings 13, 14 on the shaft 8 and securing them thereon against axial displacement by means of a snap ring 15. The flange 16 of tubular member 6 is secured to the flange 3 of the housing by means of screws 17. A filter 26 and a protective grid 27 are secured to the housing by means of screws 23 which pass through bores 21 formed in the corners of the housing.

The construction set forth above offers the advantage that the motor can be separately inspected and tested whenever necessary. Furthermore, it is possible to balance the fan assembly even after the unit has been completed. Since the stator 4 together with the tubular member 6 and the bearings 7 can be ground to close tolerances by means of a center grinding pin the humming noise customary in ventilators of this type can be eliminated.

Thus, the unit will be seen to be simple in construction, easy to assemble, and inexpensive to manufacture. At the same time, and due to its simplicity and ease of assembly, the unit is highly trouble-free and has only small space requirements.

More importantly, however, the particular construction of the housing 1 increases considerably the intake of air, as well as the output, and decreases air friction so that there is provided a ventilator of improved efficiency. Moreover, the air noise in this construction is vastly reduced compared to prior constructions, even the construction shown in my previous application. At the same time the particular construction of the housing makes it possible to provide a square profile, that is, to give the housing planar sides while yet not substantially exceeding the diameter of the first portion 1a with its circular crosssection.

FIGS. 4-10, which represent various sections through the housing 1 showing the square configuration of the portion or portions 117, require no elaboration. The center portion of the housing is uniformly designated with reference numeral 1a whereas the flaring side portions are respectively designated with reference numeral 1b. FIGS. 6-9 are sections taken along various lines of FIG. 5 and show not only how the passage flares from the central circular portion outwardly, but also how the outer square cross-section of the housing is achieved. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a corner of the housing and shows still more clearly the construction of the latter.

As will be evident from FIG. 1 it is possible to dispose the fan assembly, comprising the drive means and the fan blades, in the housing 1 in such a manner that the fan blades are received only within the center portion 1a with its passage of circular cross section. Although this provides very adequate performance of the ventilator I prefer to so position the assembly, or to so construct the fan blades 12, that the latter will extend axially outwardly of the passage in the portion 1a and will extend into at least one of the outer portions 1b of the housing 1. In FIG. 3 the blades 12 are shown as projecting into the portion 1b which is located on the outlet or delivery side of the ventilator; as has already been pointed out the provision of the enlarged passages in the portions 1b permits increased flow of air while considerably reducing the air friction ordinarily found at the point of entry or exit of the ventilator. In a construction such as that shown in FIG. 3 it would, of course, also be possible to provide the enlarged portion 1b only on that side of the ventilator where it is desired, that is in the case in question on the outlet side. However, for reasons of manufacturing economy it is generally more practical to employ only a single housing construction in which the portions 1b are provided on both the inlet and outlet side, even if the fan blades project only into one of the portions 1b.

Conversely, it would naturally also be possible to have the fan blades project only into that portion 1b which is located on the inlet side of the ventilator with the resultant increase in suction capacity. Finally, and most efiiciently, the fan blades 12 can project into both of the portions 1b, that is into the portion 1b located on the inlet side as well as into the other portion 1b located on the outlet side as shown in FIG. 4. With this construction the fan will not only be provided with greater suction capacity but will also be enabled to deliver more air at less friction and less noise on the outlet side.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of ventilators differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a ventilator, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the stand-point of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a ventilator, in combination, a fan assembly comprising a fan motor including stator means and rotor means at least partially surrounding said stator means, and a plurality of fan blades on said rotor means projecting substantially radially therefrom; and a fan housing surrounding said fan assembly and secured at least at one end to said fan motor, said fan housing having a first portion formed with a first cylindrical passage of circular cross-section, and at least one second portion rigid with said first portion and being formed with a second passage axially aligned and directly communicating with said first passage of said first portion, said second passage of the second portion having an open end spaced from said first passage and having throughout its length and at said open end thereof a cross-sectional area greater than the cross-sectional area of said circular first passage, and a transverse dimension greater than the diameter of said first passage.

2. In a ventilator as defined in claim 1, wherein the cross-section of said second passage at least in the region of said open end thereof is of substantially polygonal configuration.

3. In a ventilator as defined in claim 1, wherein one of said portions of said housing is provided with spokes extending across the associated passage, and wherein said fan motor is carried by said spokes.

4. In a ventilator as defined in claim 1, wherein said second portion of said housing is bounded by outer peripheral faces which together define a polygonal outline of such dimensions that a circle having a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of said first portion may be inscribed within said outline.

5. In a ventilator as defined in claim 1, wherein said fan motor comprises a shaft at least partially received within said rotor means.

6. In a ventilator as defined in claim 1, wherein said fan motor comprises bearing means and a shaft supported by said bearing means and at least partially received Within said rotor means.

7. In a ventilator, the combination of a fan assembly comprising a tubular member having a flange at one end adapted to be removably connected to a housing; axially spaced bearing means supported in said tubular member; stator means fixed to the outer surface of said tubular member and projecting radially therefrom; a shaft turnably mounted in said bearing means and projecting with one end thereof beyond the other end of said tubular member; rotor means surrounding said stator means, said rotor means having a transverse portion fixed to said one end of the shaft for rotation therewith and a plurality of fan blades substantially radially projecting from the outer peripheral surface of said rotor means; and a housing surrounding said fan assembly and removably connected to said flange of said tubular member, said housing having a first portion formed with a first passage of circular cross-section, and at least one second portion rigid with said first portion and being formed with a second passage axially aligned and directly communicating with said first passage of said first portion, said second passage of the second portion having an open end spaced from said first passage and having throughout its length and at said open end thereof a cross-sectional area greater than the cross-sectional area of said circular first passage, and a minimum transverse dimension greater than the diameter of said first passage.

8. A ventilator as defined in claim 7, wherein said fan blades project in axial direction at least partly into said second passage of said second portion.

9. A ventilator as defined in claim 8, and further comprising a hub fixedly mounted on said one end of said shaft; and means at the other end of said shaft in the interior of said tubular member and cooperating with one of said bearing means for preventing movement of said shaft in axial direction away from said one end of said tubular member.

10. A ventilator as defined in claim 9, wherein said rotor means includes a cup-shaped member having a transverse portion fixed to said hub at said end and an annular portion surrounding said stator means radially spaced therefrom,

11. A ventilator as defined in claim 10, wherein said second portion is located at one axial end of said first portion; and further comprising an additional second portion located at the other axia'l end of said first portion and being similar to the first-mentioned second portion, said fan blades of said fan assembly projecting in axial direction from said first passage of said first portion into the respective second passages of said second portions whereby air caused to pass through said ventilator by said fan blades can flow more freely in the second passages of said second portions than in the first passage of said first portion.

12. A ventilator as defined in claim 11, wherein said fan blades project into the second passage of the second portion located on the outlet side of said ventilator whereby friction of the air passing through the same is reduced prior to leaving said housing and radial flow of the air is facilitated in addition to axial flow.

13. A ventilator as defined in claim 11, wherein said fan blades project into the second passage of the second portion located on the intake side of said ventilator whereby friction of the air flowing into said passage is reduced.

14. In a ventilator, the combination of a fan assembly comprising a tubular member adapted to be connected to a housing; bearing means supported in said tubular member; stator means fixed to said tubular member and projecting radially therefrom; a shaft turnably mounted in said bearing means and projecting with one end thereof beyond the other end of said tubular member; rotor means surrounding said stator means fixed to said one end of the shaft for rotation therewith and comprising a plurality of fan blades projecting substantially radially therefrom; and a housing surrounding said fan assembly and removably connected to said tubular member, said housing having a first portion formed with a first passage of circular cross-section, and at least one second portion rigid with said first portion and being formed with a second passage axially aligned and directly communicating with said first passage of said first portion, said second passage of the second portion having an open end spaced from said first passage and having throughout its length and at said open end thereof a cross-sectional area greater than the cross-sectional area of said circular first passage, and a transverse dimension greater than the diameter of said first passage.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,051,852 1/1913 Treat 230- 2,040,452 5/1936 Troller 230-120 2,144,035 1/1939 Smith 230-120 2,198,812 4/1940 Grossman.

2,573,145 10/1951 Sprouse et al. 230-259 X 2,776,089 1/1957 Burrowes et al. 230-259 2,926,838 3/1960 Van Rijn 230-117 2,950,859 8/1960 Kirk 98-94 X 2,990,112 6/1961 Levy et al. 230-117 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,107,916 5/1961 Germany.

ROBERT M. WALKER, Primary Examiner.

v United States Patent 11 1' Papst 54 VENTILATOR [75] Inventor: Hermann Papst, St. Georgen, Black Forest, Fed. Rep. of Germany Papst-Motoren KG, St. Georgen, Black Forest, Fed. Rep. of Germany [73] Assignee:

Reexamination Request:

No. 90/000,434, Aug. l7, 1983 Reexamination Certificate for:

Patent No; 3,362,627 Issued: Jan. 9, 1968 Appl. No.: 544,040 Filed: Apr. 20, 1966' Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 451,143, Apr. 27, 1965, abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 336,975, Jan. 10, 1964, Pat. No. 3,229,897.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 14, 1963 [DE] Fed. Rep. of Germany P 30,937

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS I REEXAMINATIO'N- CERTIFICATE 4 i [11] B1 3,362,627 [45] Certificate ,Issued May 19, 1987 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 1275281 010000 France 973853 6/1960 Fed. Rep. of Germany 417/354 1107916 8/1961 Fed. Rep. of Germany 850115 010000 United Kingdom OTHER PUBLICATIONS Exhibit A is a copy of the priority document for US. Pat. No. 3,362,627, to wit: German Appln. P30937 filed Jan. 14, 1963.

Rotron Europa N.V. Centaur fan dated Sep. 1966 (2 pages).

Fan Engineering Handbook, Robert Jorgensen editor (1961).

Aerex Product Bulletin (1933).

The Ventilatoren by Bruno Eck (1962).

Papst Product Bulletin (1961).

Western Engineering and Manufacturing Co., Product Bulletin No. 5 (1955).

Papst-Lufter Bulletins PL-64 and PL-65. Advertisement from Toute L-electronique dated Nov., 1962 showing two Aerex fans.

Design 893380, A Ventilating Fan, Registration is sued Sep. 18, 1959.

1,051,852 1/1913 Treat 1,304,671 5/1919 Fieux r 1, Rotron, muffin fan, Product Bulletln copyright 1959.

g zfgg Primary Examiner-Carlton R. Croyle 1,794,447 8/1926 de Bothezat [57] ACT 1,971,920 7/1931 Ross 2,040,452 3/1934 Troller 230/120 A fan assembly for a ventllator, and a ventllator 1101181118 2,142,307 6/1935 De Mey et a1. comprising a first portion formed with a first passage of 2,144,035 1/ 1939 Smith 230/ 120 circular cross-section and wherein the fan assembly is at 2,198,812 4/ 1940 Grossman 257/137 lea t artially received, and at least one second portion 2,393,523 2/1943 De rigid with the first portion and formed with a second y lslemnan 250/120 passage axially aligned and directly communicating prolise et 2 0/117 with said first passage, said second passage having an 2,616,356 4/1949 Cunnmgham 98/116 2,638,881 1/1951 Pankuch et a1. 123/4185 open end sPaced from the first passage and havmg 2,641,987 2/1951 Burgan 98/43 throughout its length and at the open end thereof a 2,709,035 11/1950 Schmid 23 7 cross-sectional area greater than the cross-sectional area 2,776,089 1/1957 Burroweg r a1, 230/259 of the circular first passage and a transverse dimension 2,854,916 10/ 1958 Knutson et a1: 98/ 116 greater than the diameter of the circular first passage.

1 2 AS A RESULT OF REEXAMINATION, IT HAS REEXAMINATION CERTIFICATE BEEN DETERMINED THAT:

ISSUED UNDER 35 307 The patentability of claim 4 is confirmed.

' 5 THE PATENT IS HEREBY AMENDED AS Claims 1-3 and 5-14 are cancelled.

INDICATED BELOW. 

